Once in a Lifetimer
by Angel-Dressed-in-Red
Summary: One day Castle has an encounter with one of the best and most common characters in the Discwrold series.


_**I have no idea where this came from but I love both Castle and the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett so I just couldn't resist trying a crossover with my fave character. **_

The day had started like any other, it then continued like any other. It ended like no other.

She'd been there since dawn, he'd brought her coffee.

She'd gotten frustrated; he'd made up a theory.

She'd told him to stay; he'd refused.

She'd run off in chase; he'd followed her.

She had a gun; he didn't.

She was the cop; he was the writer.

She fought for justice; he fought for her.

She got shot; he shot her gun.

She fell to the ground; he cried.

She saw the guy behind him; he didn't.

She lost consciousness; he lost his breathing.

She saw red; he saw Death.

"Am I dead?"

"NOT QUITE, I AM HAVING A NEAR RICHARD EXPERIENCE"

Does that mean I'll wake up?"

"PERHAPS, PERHAPS NOT."

"What about Kate? Tell me she'll live."

"I CANNOT."

The hooded skeleton reaches a bony hand into his black robe and takes out two lifetimers. Both are half full but one empties quickly.

Rick can't believe it; he can't understand why they seem so full while his friend lays dying. As he watches Death hangs them in the air and takes out another one. This one is nearly empty.

It's wooden, simply carved but beautiful, one of the ones in the air matches it. Like a set. The third is black metal. Shiny in the weird light, impressive but he barely glances at it in favour for the new one.

"It's nearly empty, can't you do something. Turn it over, save her?"

"THIS IS MY DUTY. YOU ARE QUITE THE MAN, TWO MEN IN FACT."

He waves his hand and the glasses turn to show the names. Rick stares as the black one bears his name.

_Richard Edgar Castle_

His jaw drops further as the other wooden one turns and it also bears his name.

_Richard Alexander Rodgers_

"TELL ME I AM CURIOUS, WHICH ONE ARE YOU?"

"Both, I guess but why have two, give her sand from one, give her more time from me."

"THAT WOULD REQUIRE BREAKING THE GLASS, ONE OF YOU WOULD DIE TO HAVE HER LIVE"

"I'd die anyway. I've been a fool. I love her; give me the chance to tell her, to have a life with her."

"MANY HAVE SAID THAT, WHICH MAN DO YOU CHOSE TO END. CASTLE OR RODGERS."

"What will it mean? Will my time with that name end?"

"NO, RICHARD THE WORLD SEES YOU AS TWO MEN. THE MAN YOU SHOW THEM AND THE MAN YOU HIDE FROM THEM. YOU MUST CHOOSE WHICH TO BE PERMANENTLY."

"I was born Richard Alexander Rodgers and no matter how many times I change my name I will always be him. I can't lose her, Rick Castle could, he'd continue but I can't. Use the sand from the black one, save her."

"THERE IS ONE THING YOU MUST DO BEFORE I WILL DO THIS. WHAT YOU ASK GOES AGAINST MY PURPOSE BUT AN ANCIENT LAW CAN MAKE YOU OVERRULE IT. YOU MUST BEAT ME IN A GAME. YOU MAY CHOOSE WHICH."

"A game? Seriously?"

"INDEED."

"Word association, I say a word and you say one associated with it, no repeats, first to hesitate or repeat loses and her life is frozen so she doesn't go while we play."

"I AGREE TO THESE TERMS, YOU MAY GO FIRST"

"gun"

"DEATH"

"end"

"BEGINING"

"Dawn"

"SUN"

"Yellow"

"RED"

"Blue"

"WATER"

"Sea"

"FISH"

"Chips"

"POKER"

"Money"

"GREED"

"Motive"

"REASON"

"voice"

"HUMAN"

"Kate"

"RICHARD"

"Love"

"HATE"

"Murder"

"DEATH"

"Ha, you said that already, I win."

"HAD I? OH I HAVE. AND I WAS FINDING THAT STRANGLY ENGAGING."

"Fun you mean you found that fun."

"I HAVE FOUND WHAT FUN IS?"

"Yes now please can you save her?"

With a nod Death raises his boney hands and with a sweep he smashes the lifetimers of Rick Castle and Kate Beckett and creates a massive shockwave. This pushes Rick backwards upon the ground beside Kate.

When all is still again a new lifetimer sits before them, Half full. The sand still runs quickly but as he watches death comes up behind it and with an electric blue zap the sand stops flowing. The blue within the skeleton's skull shines bright and Rick suddenly fears, beside him Kate wakes, her world still blurred.

Unknowingly they clutch one another as the great figure of Death rises up a timer in his hand. He holds it like a sword for the last kill. He raises it above his head.

"THIS IS WHAT FATE HAS DESIDED FOR YOU. ENJOY YOUR LIVES"

He brings down Rick's timer and smashes it into Kate's. Combining the two. Yet again a shockwave rocks them and when it settles the pair are laying unconscious beside one another, their hands joined.

_**So drop a review, good or bad. And for the record right now even I don't know what happens next and without feedback I will probably never attempt a sequel.**_


End file.
